Skaldic poetry largely defined the rhetoric and literature of the Viking age, making the Skalds of ancient Scandanavia powerful forces of culture, religion and catharsis in pre-Christian Scandinavia. It’s hard to think of a more appropriate heir to the Skaldic mantle than Norway’s traditional folk collective Wardruna. The act’s…

SoCal retro rockers Vintage Trouble have returned with a fresh batch of vital funk on their new EP, Chapter II. The five-song effort, released in both electric and acoustic versions, showcases a new side of the band with a renewed focus on deep funk grooves. This record packs soulful melodies and…

Since the release of Wilder Mind in 2015, Mumford & Sons have experimented with breaking out of their folk rock bubble. Their new album, Delta, positions itself as a somewhat experimental, yet entirely familiar, addition to the band’s discography. If Wilder Mind made a stab toward Top 40 alt-rock, Delta doesn’t quite…

The Smashing Pumpkins, “Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1.” Twenty-two years ago, in the legendary “Homerpalooza” episode of The Simpsons, Bart, listening to The Smashing Pumpkins, remarks, “Making teenagers depressed is like shooting fish in a barrel.” The question before Billy Corgan and three-quarters of the original Pumpkins…

John Mellencamp, “Other People’s Stuff.” Over the last three decades, John Mellencamp has covered a variety of musical styles, songs and rhythms under the umbrella of heartland rock. On his newest offering, Mellencamp digs deep into the archives of his musical experience. An homage to some of the greatest…

Muse again dives into the depths of cinematic sci-fi on Simulation Theory, the follow up to the English rock band’s 2015, Drones. Riddled with infectious percussion loops and grandiose vocal hooks, the album creates futuristic atmospheres while maintaining the band’s signature approach. Simulation Theory Muse Warner Bros., Nov. 9 Opening track…

This year saw the second anniversary of the tragic death of founding Architects guitarist Tom Searle. He and his twin brother, drummer Dan Searle, started what would become an enduring force in U.K. metalcore back in 2004. He remained the band’s principal songwriter as it transitioned from technical mathcore…

Jeff Goldblum is a dish best served in person, but for anyone unable to attend one of his performances with the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, his long-in-the-making debut album evokes a comparable front-and-center experience. The Capital Studio Sessions Jeff Goldblum Decca Records, Nov. 9 On The Capitol Studios Sessions, Goldblum…

J Mascis, “Elastic Days.” In the Camelot of the 1990s alt-rock, J Mascis was a knight seated at King Cobain’s roundtable of grunge—alongside the likes of Corgan, Vedder and Cornell. However, as the kingdom waned, Mascis, the guitarist and frontman for the tinnitus-inducing Dinosaur Jr., wandered from the spotlight…

Before Motorhead’s Lemmy ascended to the throne as the god of Rock and Roll, the job belonged to Dionysus. The Greek deity of fertility, winemaking and religious ecstasy is also the title of the first album in six years from Melbourne neoclassical duo Dead Can Dance. Dionysus is a two-act concept…